urquhart



Jam. 24, 1956 Filed Feb. 19, 1953 L. G. URQUHART WEFT PARTERS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 24, 1956 L. G. URQUHART WEFT PARTERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 19, 1953 .ZIZqyd G1. UrgW, y W l W,

United States Patent WEFT PARTERS Lloyd G. Urquhart, Westboro, Mass., assignor to H. F. Livermore Corporation, Allston, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Application February 19, 1953, Serial No. 337,779 Claims. (Cl. 139-267) This invention relates to automatic weft replenishing looms, and in particular to the weft parters employed in such looms to cut the weft extending to the cloth from the spent bobbin in the shuttle as such bobbin is expelled and to hold the portion of such weft extending to the selvage of the cloth, in order to prevent this trailing end of weft from being drawn into the shed to injure the quality of the cloth; also, to hold this trailing end extended so that it will be properly trimmed ofii by the temple thread cutter.

The primary object of the present invention is to adapt my improved weft parter of U. S. Patent No. 2,676,620 Patented April 27, 1954, to weft replenishing change-box looms, particularly to the well known Crompton & Knowles loom of this type.

The standard weft parter with which the Crompton & Knowles automatic change-box loom is conventionally equipped is mounted on the shuttle feeler, and thus parts the weft at the shuttle box mouth. This means that the cut end of old weft extending from the weft parter through the shuttle eye to the spent bobbin is often long enough to stay in the shuttle eye and to tangle with the new weft of the incoming full bobbin. This old end, and also the other portion of the old weft extending from the selvagc of the cloth and held by the weft parter after cutting, but released by the parter as the shuttle feeler swings rearward in preparation for a new weft change, frequently are carried into the shed along with the shuttle and the accompanying pick of new weft, to form a defect in the cloth. Many times the old weft end extending to the spent bobbin, when parted at the shuttle box mouth, is trapped in the shuttle box between the shuttle and the binder, and cannot do anything but break at one side or the other of the shuttle eye when the spent bobbin is expelled. Static electricity often causes this old end to cling to the shuttle and to be carried into the shed. This fault is particularly troublesome in weaving worsted and nylon yarns. It is a source of great expense to the mills through the time and effort required to pick out these drawn-in ends, and of loss through impairing the market value of the cloth because the density of the fabric is reduced at the place of withdrawal, which results in shading of the piece in dyeing.

To remedy this situation, I have applied my novel weft parter to the Crompton & Knowles automatic change box loom to part the weft at the shuttle eye and thus close to the tip of the bobbin, instead of at the shuttle box mouth, so as to attain the well known advantages of certainty of extraction of this shortened weft end from the shuttle eye and of its withdrawal from all other parts of the shuttle as the spent bobbin is expelled downward through the bottom of the shuttle box. Trapping of the old end as noted above and clinging to the shuttle to be drawn in as described are rendered impossible. The length of the weft end extending to the selvage, now increased by'substantially the length of the shuttle box, greatly increases the certainty of its being withheld from entering the shed when no longer held by the weft parter.

The shift of the weft parter from the shuttle feeler to the outer end of the shuttle box requires a change of the existing structure of the loom which it is one object of this invention keep to a minimum. Thus the existing weft feeler stand present on the existing loom, or a substitute therefor, is utilized to support the weft parter, and presentation of the weft parter is effected by a rockshaft put through the transferrer stud, linked to the existing shuttle feeler, and rocked thereby to advance the weft parter.

The use of the weft parter to cut the weft at the outer or eye end of the shuttle requires some provision for getting the trailing weft end out from between the shuttle and the binder which forms the front wall of the shuttle box. Removal and shift of the binder to the rear wall so as to permit the use of a slotted front plate would require a prohibitive amount of reconstruction of the parts at the lay end. However, through the provision of a novel slotted binder forming a part of the present invention, egress from the shuttle box of the intermediate portion of the old weft stretching from the weft parter to the selvage is made possible.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. l is a perspective view of the weft parter and its mounting and actuating parts, including the feeler bracket and the shuttle feeler of the loom.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. l, and including the binder.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the improved binder shown in Fig. 2.

The weft parter shown in the drawings is that of my prior application referred to hereinbefore, and as fully set forth in such application comprises a carrier 1 for the weft cutting and holding blades 3, 4, 5, slidably mounted on two parallel guides 7, 9, with capacity for reciprocation forward and backward of the loom. When replenishment of the weft in the shuttle is called for, the carrier is slid rearward by a swinging arm 11 engaged by its slot 13 with a stud 15 fixed in a slot in the bottom of carrier 1, the arm being actuated by means forming the subject of the present invention and to be described later hereinafter. In the carriers rearward travel, the cutting and holding blades 3, 4, 5, are opened to receive the weft end from the spent bobbin in the shuttle at a point a few inches inward of the shuttle eye, by the action of a spring (not shown). When the hunter 17 on the carrier strikes the binder on the front of the shuttle box, the carrier is slid forward again along guides 7, 9, whereupon a cam surface on lower guide 9 forces down a roll (not shown) on the forward end of the movable cutting blade 4, closing such blade and parting the weft. This blade and the fiber'blade 3 together hold the cut end of the old weft extending inwardly of the loom to the selvage of the cloth.

In accordance with the present invention, to apply this structure to the Crompton & Knowles automatic changebox loom the existing feeler stand is used when possible; otherwise, a special feeler stand hanger 19 is provided for attachment to the loom side 21 by bolts 23 to take the place of the original stand, and a bracket 25 is mounted on such hanger by bolts 27 put through holes in the web of the latter. On such bracket a second bracket 29 is fixed by bolt 31 and slot 33 with capacity for adjustment angularly and transversely of the loom. To the toothed vertical outward face of bracket 29 is applied the toothed and slotted shank of a member 34 having vertically spaced hubs in which the guide rods 7 and 9 are secured by set screws 36. A bolt 35 put through a slot 37 holds the shank to bracket 29 with capacityfor vertical adjustment, so that the cutting blades will be presented in the right position to engage the weft end.

The regular transferrer stud of the loom is replaced by a thick walled hollow tube 39 mounted in the same manher as the transferrer stud, and performing all its functions, and supporting all the parts regularly mounted thereon. The outward end of this tube is clamped in the splithub-4tlof the feeler stand19 by. screws 42; Within this hollow stud is mounted a rockshaft 41 which. is usedto put the weft parter in its rearward presentation position when such is called for in preparation for the weft replenishing action. Bearings are provided for shaft 41 in the form of bushings 43 fittedwithin tube 39, and a collar 44 is set-screwed on shaft 41, beyond hub 40.

To effect the rearward movement of the weft parter, an arm 45 is fixed on the left-hand-end of shaft 41 by set screws 47 and pivotally connected by a bolt 49 vertically adjustable in slot 51 with a hub 53 on one end of a link 55 having a hub 57 at its rear end pivotally mounted on a stud'59 fixed by nut 61 with capacity for vertical adjustment in a slot 63 in a feeler 65 which is modified by removal of the usual cutting-blades and provided with a foot having a downwardly inclined toe and a smooth concave upper surface serving to pass under and lift the old weft end over the binder as the lay recedes immediately following the parting of the weft. The right-hand end of shaft 41 carries the arm 11, fixed thereon by set screws 67, in the slot 13 of which arm stands the stud 15 fixed in carrier 1.

Thus when the regular weft replenishing mechanism moves the shuttle feeler 65 to a rearward position in preparation for the weft change, the accompanying rocking of reckshaft 4-1 puts and holds the weft parter in position such that if the shuttle is properly boxed'the cutting and holding blades 3, 4, 5 will reach in through the shuttle binder 69'and enter the shuttle. box and'also enter a Weft parter slot in the front wall of the shuttle and receive between them the weft extending from the shuttle eye to the selvage of the cloth, as the lay beats up. With the blades in this position, the binder on the shuttle box encounters bunter 17, sliding carrier 1 forwardly on guides 7 and 9, whereupon the cam formed on the under side of guide 9 depresses the cam follower roll on the movable blade 4 forward of the latters pivot, thus closing the cutting and holding blades and parting and holding the weft. Such movement of carrier 1' is attended by corresponding forward retraction of shuttle feeler 65, the latter carrying the intermediate portion of the weft with it. The parts remain in this forward waiting position with the cut end of old weft which extends from the selvage held by blades 3. and 4 until a further weft replenishing action is indicated, whereupon the cycle is repeated.

The provision of the actuating means for the weft parter in the form of a rockshaft inside and through the member serving as the transferrer stud, and thus supported by the existing or substitute supports for the latter, is the main feature making practicable the installation of the weft parter in this already most congested location on the loom, with a minimum of mechanical complexity and interference with the work of the weaver.

The novel binder which makes possible the extraction of this old weft from within the shuttle box and thus enables the weft to be parted at the shuttle eye, is shown at 69 in Figs. 2 and 3. For the purposes of this invention this binder 69 is provided with a slot 71 to admit the cutting elements 3, 4, 5 and this slot is continued at 73 inwardly and upwardly through the top edge of the binder. Beyond the inward end of the passage 73 the top edge 75 is convexly rounded, so that the cut end of old weft seized and held by blades 3 and 4 while within slot 71 is freely and cleanly withdrawn through the extension 73 of the slot and over surface 75, with the assistance of the shuttle feeler 65 as the lay recedes. The vertical web 77 of the binder is clad as usual with a leather facing 79 secured by screws 81, and the inward portion 83' of this surface is curved frontwardly from the plane of the outward part, to providea wider opening at the shuttleboxmouth for the: entrance-of the shuttle and also to prevent the cut weft end from being seized and 4. held between the binder and the shuttle. Horizontal webs 85, 87, braced by ribs 89, are provided to stiffen and reinforce the binder. The usual feeler slot 94 is provided.

Because the slotting and shaping of the binder to fit it to the needs of the invention structure compel a reduction in the available area of frictional shuttle checking surface provided by the leather facing 79, the mass of the binder is further reduced beyond that attained through the slotting, by forming it in-the described cellular form of magnesium or aluminum alloy or other light weight metal. This cuts down the inertia of the binder under impact of the shuttle, thus lessening the wear and tear on the leather. With more of the binders forward movement out of the box being opposed by the usual protector mechanism spring (and spring and less by the inertia of the binder as the shuttle wedges into the shuttle box, the effort of checking the shuttle does not reach so high a peak at the instant of impact of the shuttle upon the binder, andthus a reasonable life of the leather facing is retained.

The inward end of the binder is provided with a special portion 95 for engagement by the protector rod finger 112, and is made of steel or otherv metal harder than the light weight alloy used for the rest of the binder, and thus having greater resistance to wear. This portion 95 is of rectangular shape in elevation, and is attached by cap screws 97 through the body of the binder,.thus being removable and replaceable when worn. Also, reinforce 101, of steel or'other' metal harder than the light weight material forming the binder body, is fixed across the hollow frontward face of the binder by means of screws 103 threaded-into bosses formed on the binder body.

The lightening of the binder through the provisions of light Weight component metal, cellular construction, and the formation of the slots 71, 73, makes possible a significant reduction in the amount of power which must be expended in throwing the shuttle in order to attain proper boxing thereof. This results inv materially lessened wear and tear on the picking motion and all other parts involved in throwing and checking the shuttle, with attendant economies. The severity of the shocks and strains incident to picking and checking the shuttle being one of the chief sources-of wear and breakdown in looms, as is wellrecognized, this reduction in the picking load is reflected favorably in lessened repair bills and reduced down-time of the loom.

Binder 69has a hub 90 whereby it is pivotally mounted on the usual binder stud 92'fixed on the lay 96, and also has an integral'tail 98 arching forward and outward beyond the pivot 92: The usual leaf spring hitherto mounted at the pivoted end of the binder to press rearwardly against the front face of the binder havingbeen discarded inorder to permit the formation of the slot 71 for the Weft parter, an expanding coil spring 100 is provided to bear forwardly against this tail, to keep the binder in the box when the shuttle is at the other end of the lay and this binder is relieved of the rearward pressure against its free end by theprotector finger 112. The latter supplies the substantial inward pressureapplied by the binder in checkingthe shuttle. A screw member Hi2 threaded through the tail 98- andjhavinga flanged head 104 provided with a central boss fitting insidethe spring 100 confines the spring against an abutment 106 on the lay with provision for adjustment of the springtension.

A special spring; adjustingcollar in two parts 125, 127, is provided 'to replace the usual collar which was mounted on the transferrer stud by a pin passing diametrically through the collar and through the stud. Thus, the collar 127 is fixed on tube 39 byclamping screws 129, and is provided with a lug .131through which extends a pin 133 receivedinholes 135- in a plurality of lugs 137 distributed around" the part The usual'transferrer spring (not shown) is' coil'e'd around tube 39 just as it is around the conventional transferrerstud, with its outward end fixed in a radial hole in the part 125, so that the latter may be rotated to establish the correct spring tension to hold up the transferrer and then be locked in such adjusted position by putting the pin 133 through the appropriate one of the lugs 137.

While I have illustrated and described a certain form in which the invention may be embodied, I am aware that many modifications may be made therein by any person skilled in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the particular form shown, or to the details of construction thereof, but what I do claim is:

1. A weft parter mechanism for looms having a lay, comprising in combination weft parting and holding elements, means supporting such elements for movement toward and from the lay, and a shuttle binder having a passage therethrough for the weft parting and holding elements and a slot extending from such passage toward the inner end of and through the top edge of the binder.

2. A weft parter mechanism for looms having a lay, comprising in combination weft parting and holding elements, means supporting such elements for movement toward and from the lay, and a shuttle binder having a passage therethrough for the weft parting and holding elements and a slot extending from such passage toward the inner end of and through the top edge of the hinder, the latter being made of light weight metal.

3. A weft parter mechanism for looms having a lay and a protector mechanism including a finger, comprising in combination weft parting and holding elements, means supporting such elements for movement toward and from the lay, and a shuttle binder having a passage therethrough for the weft parting and holding elements and a slot extending from such passage toward the inner end of and through the top edge of the binder, the latter being made of light weight metal with a portion of harder metal applied thereto and engaged by the finger.

4. A weft parter mechanism for looms having a lay, comprising in combination weft parting and holding elements, a shuttle binder having a passage therethrough for the weft parting and holding elements and a slot extending from such passage toward the inner end of the binder and through the latters top edge, a pivot on the lay on which the binder is mounted, and a spring engaging the binder solely at a point located outwardly beyond the pivot.

5. A weft parter mechanism for looms having in combination a lay, weft parting blades, a canier supporting such blades for movement toward and from the lay, a hunter in connection with the carrier, a shuttle binder made of light weight relatively soft metal having a passage therethrough for the blades, and a member of relatively harder metal on the binder to be engaged by the bunter.

6. A weft parter mechanism for cloth looms having a lay, comprising in combination weft parting and holding elements, means supporting such elements for movement toward and from the lay, a transferrer stud, means transmitting motion through such stud moving the weft parting and holding elements toward the lay, and a shuttle binder on the lay moving the said elements forwardly of the loom, the binder having a slot extending toward the inner end of and through its top edge and the holding elements withdrawing through such slot the parted weft end running to the cloth in the loom.

7. A weft parter mechanism for cloth looms having a lay, comprising in combination weft parting and holding elements, means supporting arch elements for movement toward and from the lay, a transferrer stud, a shuttle feeler, means extending through the transferrer stud and actuated by movement of the shuttle feeler and in turn moving the weft parting and holding elements toward the lay, a shuttle binder moving the said elements forwardly of the loom and having a slot extending toward the inner end of and through its top edge, the holding elements and the shuttle feeler withdrawing through such slot and over the inward end of the shuttle binder the parted weft end running to the cloth.

8. A weft parter mechanism for cloth looms having a lay, a shuttle box, and a shuttle feeler, comprising in combination weft parting and holding elements, means supporting such elements for movement toward and from the lay, a transferrer stud, means including a rockshaft extending within such stud moving the said elements toward the lay, a shuttle binder on the lay moving the said elements forwardly of the loom and having a slot extending toward the inner end and through its top edge, the shuttle feeler and the said holding elements withdrawing from the shuttle box through such slot the parted weft end extending to the cloth in the loom.

9. A weft parter mechanism for cloth looms having a lay, a shuttle box, and a shuttle feeler, comprising in combination weft parting and holding elements, means supporting such elements for movement toward and from the lay, means moving the said elements toward the lay, a shuttle binder on the lay moving the said elements forwardly of the loom and having a slot extending toward the inner end and through its top edge, the shuttle feeler and the said holding elements withdrawing from the shuttle box through such slot the parted weft end extending to the cloth in the loom.

10. A weft parting mechanism for looms having in combination a lay, a shuttle box, a weft parter and holder, a shuttle binder having a passage therethrough for the weft parter and holder and a slot extending from such passage toward the inner end of the binder and through the latters top edge, and a shuttle feeler adapted to engage a weft parted and held by the said parter and holder and to lift the weft out through the slot and over the shuttle binder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,506,914 Mathieson Sept. 2, 1924 1,511,185 Davis Oct. 7, 1924 2,201,763 Dubois May 21, 1940 2,364,740 Menking Dec. 12, 1944 2,398,264 Turner Apr. 9, 1946 2,529,456 Nichols Nov. 7, 1950 2,596,651 Carter May 13, 1952 2,626,636 Burcham Jan. 27, 1953 2,654,400 Donoghue et a1. Oct. 6, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 834,528 Germany Mar. 20, 1952 

